


DAUGHTER OF THE DAWN

by SILKCUT



Series: ɪɴꜱᴄʀɪʙᴇᴅ ʙʏ ꜱɪʟᴋᴄᴜᴛ [7]
Category: American Gods (TV), American Gods - Neil Gaiman
Genre: Character Study, Gen, Hope and Beginning, Inscribed by SILKCUT, Twitter Roleplay Solo, mythos
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-29
Updated: 2021-01-29
Packaged: 2021-03-15 11:55:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,610
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29063949
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SILKCUT/pseuds/SILKCUT
Summary: She could feel the earth accept her inside it. As she slid further within, the world as a whole moved in excitement and gratitude as the tiny seeds woke up and in no time began to burrow into the depths to find their place under ground while the part of them that was exposed towards the open sky sprouted and unraveled their leaves.
Series: ɪɴꜱᴄʀɪʙᴇᴅ ʙʏ ꜱɪʟᴋᴄᴜᴛ [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2132040





	1. Easter

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Ｏｓｔａｒａ ｏｆ ｔｈｅ Ｄａｗｎ

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##  **SᑭᖇIᑎGTIᗰᕮ**

##  **༻✧**

In the ᴇᴀʀʟʏ ᴅᴀʏs when the world was still learning how to be itself, she was just as ʏᴏᴜɴɢ and ᴠɪʙʀᴀɴᴛ alongside it, if not a timid recluse, for she knew so little of mankind back then, and them of her. The first ever sighting when they glimpsed her as she walked among them was during a particularly hot day. By then man has a ʟᴀɴɢᴜᴀɢᴇ of his own which is not spoken yet, but rather more as a ᴄᴀᴄᴏᴘʜᴏɴʏ of different kinds of vibrations made by his throat, tongue and teeth. The humans communicated this way for a while and soon enough they tried to ʙᴜɪʟᴅ ᴛʜɪɴɢs ᴛᴏɢᴇᴛʜᴇʀ even if they lacked a more uniform way of communication. They also still made the most of the limited resources around them for mankind's singular if not greatest characteristic is that ιт αℓωαуѕ α∂αρтѕ тσ ѕυяνινє.  
  
It was then when many of them also learned нσω тσ ρяαу. This simple act of believing there were forces that were more intelligent than him was how man вяєαтнє∂ ℓιƒє ιηтσ αη ι∂єα; αη ι∂єα тнαт ѕℓσωℓу gαιηє∂ cσηѕcισυѕηєѕѕ αη∂ тσσк α cσяρσяєαℓ ƒσям.  
  
And so there she was, the deity humans did not even know they wished for until she became ᖇᕮᗩᒪ, who stood alone in an endless stretch of soil near a human settlement. Its tribe had been ｓｔａｒｖｉｎｇ for a long time and do not have any more animals to hunt in the area. Her smallness in the vast landscape looked as if it could swallow her, but she was not as weak as she looked; simply figuring out her ᴘᴜʀᴘᴏsᴇ, like all creatures who gained sᴇɴᴛɪᴇɴᴄᴇ. She tested the way the earth felt as she sank her toes in. This land hadn't been touched by anything alive at all. The first feeling this newborn goddess had felt was ｓａｄｎｅｓｓ , for she could feel the mud on her feet beseech her, murmuring prayers that were only meant for her ears; these sweet nothings that yearn for a voice of their own to match the cries of the humans who lived in it. Both agonies from man and earth were too much for the nameless deity to bear, but she knew this was why she came to existence--she was needed. The world had no mother to take care of its children, all of them scattered across lands that have not even solidified or broke apart yet as different places that would eventually become what the world is today. No, back then everything was still connected, and all living creatures were caught in тнє ѕαмє cуcℓє σƒ нυηgєя αη∂ ρяαуєя, ѕєєкιηg ƒσя ѕυѕтєηαηcє ωнιcн ѕнє υη∂єяѕтσσ∂ ησω ωαѕ нєяѕ тσ ρяσνι∂є.   
  
Gaining confidence, the lonesome yet purpose-filled deity cupped her hands together and blew her breath into her palms. When she opened them so she can outstretch her arms upwards, α мιℓℓιση ѕєє∂ѕ ∂ιƒƒυѕє∂ αη∂ ѕρяιηкℓє∂ тнє ℓαη∂ѕcαρє ωнιcн ѕтяєтcнє∂ συт ƒσя мιℓєα αη∂ мιℓєѕ. She went down to her knees next and slipped her fingers into the soil, grasping at the roots of everything that can grow now because she exists. Her lips began to form a smile, as warm as the sun on the sky that seemed to cast its rays down on her in avid support of her efforts.  
  
She could feel the earth accept her inside it. As she slid further within, the world as a whole moved in excitement and gratitude as the tiny seeds woke up and in no time began to burrow into the depths to find their place under ground while the part of them that was exposed towards the open sky sprouted and unraveled their leaves. The transformation was immaculate, α тrυe мιrαcle oғ вιrтн αɴd ɴew вeɢιɴɴιɴɢѕ, and the deity looked at everything around her which had ｆｌｏｕｒｉｓｈｅｄ through her loving hands and smiled in utter ᒍOY.  
  
This world will thrive and grow with her as she would nurture it with all the life flowing in her small form which will always have more to give to her children. The passage of time will pass and mankind will continue to honor her and speak of her in ɗєνσтιση and fσηɗηєѕѕ while they would hold celebrations and feasts in her name. And yes, they named her now too, and she had accepted this gracious gift and treasured its value as man had done the same every time she visited their dry and empty lands so she can rouse the dead to come alive again and help them bask in the ᴀʙᴜɴᴅᴀɴᴄᴇ of sᴜɴsʜɪɴᴇ and the blessings of her ᴍᴀɢɪᴄ.  
  
She is and will always be OSTᗩᖇᗩ Oᖴ Tᕼᕮ ᗪᗩᗯᑎ, Earth's bountiful mother Eᴀsᴛᴇʀ.  
  
The tireless and invocable season of beginnings known simply now as Ｓｐｒｉｎｇ.

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**[@SUMMERNTHELIGHT](https://twitter.com/summernthelight) **

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	2. Miss Esther

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Ｏｓｔａｒａ ｏｆ ｔｈｅ Ｄａｗｎ

**ﾒ**

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## ᗰISS ᕮSTᕼᕮᖇ

##  **༻✧**

On the the sequestered rooms located exactly below the grand hall where social events are usually held, the kitchen was ℓινєℓу not only because of the amount of recipes and dishes to do around here, but also because of the talk surrounding the ɴew ɢυeѕтѕ who will be arriving this afternoon. The staff currently prattled on about тнє ℓιѕт which had been passed around the chefs and cooks over a month ago. It indicated not only the types of food to be prepared but also the specifics of such servings and to which guests they were assigned to. It's not entirely often that the kitchen staff were tasked to customize meals, let alone for people who had not attended any of Miss Esther's parties before. They all agreed it was odd but in a pleasant sort of way, however. The staff certainly had no qualms welcoming the extra labor with ωнσƖєнєαятєɗ єαgєяηєѕѕ because they would do anything to please dear Mɪss Esᴛʜᴇʀ.  
  
In spite of her affluent tastes when it came to food, music and jewelry, their mistress was not an elitist snob at all. She actually engaged in ρєcυℓιαя вєнανισя that seemed beneath her station. For example, Mɪss Esᴛʜᴇʀ liked to eat with her hands, savoring each bite of pork or beef, regardless how the sauces would stain her wonderfully polished and manicured fingers, which are as dainty as the pastries people would often see her munching on here and there. Another noteworthy example was how she would climb trees at night, just so she can search for the perfect spot in a sturdy branch where she can read a book in peace; never mind that she had more than enough big rooms in the mansion that have soft mattresses to lay in.  
  
Mɪss Esᴛʜᴇʀ was always gƖαмσяσυѕ no matter which angle you look at her, but on most days she dressed modestly when not entertaining guests. On such days, she will only have something loose draped around her small frame, a faded shawl and a nondescript bonnet. The lady of the estate would then go for barefooted walks on the lawn just so she can give the sheep living in her property some warm company. Yes, she had at least two dozen of them grazing in the vast fields across her grand estate. Animals of other kinds were always welcome to roam freely around her residence, in fact. Mɪss Esᴛʜᴇʀ never treated them as pets at all but as equals, feeding them the same food she had on her plate at the time if she happened to be eating, or combing their fur with her own hairbrush, unmindful if some of her staff watched from afar.  
  
Probably the strangest part was the fact that she owned a slew of rabbits that can come and go as they pleased around the mansion. They were just everywhere! One of the younger maids swore she even saw their mistress conversing with one. Not that seeing Mɪss Esᴛʜᴇʀ talk to her pets was in itself out of the ordinary; most people engage verbally with their dogs and cats, yet in this case, the maid also clarified that it really looked as if there was a ᴅɪᴀʟᴏɢᴜᴇ happening between the mistress and the rabbit. The animal in question would make noises which Mɪss Esᴛʜᴇʀ would respond to promptly, giving an illusion that a real conversation was taking place.  
  
Overall, everyone in her staff just chalked this up to the many ecceɴтrιcιтιeѕ the lady of the estate was prone to indulge in. She was always kind and warm, but oh-so very ѕσƖιтαяу, so they wouldn't judge her so easily, not after she had been so generous to them.  
  
The woman вαғғled αɴd dαzzled because her personality was akin to ᴀ sᴇɴsᴜᴀʟ ᴍᴀʀʀɪᴀɢᴇ ʙᴇᴛᴡᴇᴇɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴇxᴄᴇss ᴏғ ғɪɴᴇʀʏ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ sᴜʙʟɪᴍᴇ ϙᴜᴀʟɪᴛʏ ᴏғ ғʀᴜɢᴀʟ ʜᴀʙɪᴛs. At first glance, she seemed like any other adorably petite bubbly blonde in her early to mid-forties who had too much time and money in her hands, but those who worked in her estate knew she was beyond like anything they have ever encountered in a woman of her age and prestige. She was вєαυтιƒυℓ, ωєℓℓ-ѕρσкєη αη∂ cнαяιѕмαтιc ιη єνєяу ωαу, and though her bright dresses and countryside charming manners can easily have her pegged as wily and feminine to a fault, anyone who knew Mɪss Esᴛʜᴇʀ understood that ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ᴡᴀs ɴᴏᴛʜɪɴɢ ϙᴜɪᴛᴇ sᴏ sɪᴍᴘʟᴇ ᴏʀ sᴏғᴛ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ ʜᴇʀ ᴇɪᴛʜᴇʀ.  
  
There were odd moments in between when she could just put on polka-dotted high heels or any other childishly patterned footwear and stand against to the most misogynistic critic or overbearing suitor. These men's greatest crime is to υη∂єяєѕтιмαтє нєя as a pushover socialite, quick to believe they can even bend Mɪss Esᴛʜᴇʀ to suit their fancies, perhaps mold her into just another trophy wife or paint her to the whole of Kentucky as a lonely rich spinster who is desperate for attention just to feel revelant again.  
  
Soon enough, the same men would either be cowering in embarrassment as if they have pissed on the graves of their own mothers, or showering her with much praise while they stutter out meek apologies they can barely enunciate once Mɪss Esᴛʜᴇʀ flashes her ωιηηιηg ιƒ ησт υηѕєттℓιηg ѕмιℓє that looked far ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴅᴀɴɢᴇʀᴏᴜs ᴛʜᴀɴ ᴀɴʏ ʜᴀʀsʜ ᴡᴏʀᴅ she could say in response to their petty allegations about her gender and way of life. The kitchen staff had been working tirelessly since early dawn for they know well what this particular brunch meant for their mistress. Some of them have been with her long enough to understand that all the parties she threw over the years was not some attempt to fill an emptiness inside her or a desperate move to have people stroke her ego and appeal to her vanity. Mɪss Esᴛʜᴇʀ was never so shallow and always acted in genuine confidence about herself and others. If there was one thing the mistress of the estate cannot stand, it's нypocrιѕy.  
  
No matter how neatly wrapped in the prettiest bow a person's intentions may be, Mɪss Esᴛʜᴇʀ seemed to possess the υηcαηηу αвιℓιту to see through pretenses and bullshit. This was a quality her staff admired. They may not always understand her ways, but she never failed to command respect because of her grace, beauty and honest living. But most importantly, they stayed for years to fulfill her every need because they knew she deserved тнєιя ℓσνє.  
  
The mistress was standing by the porch to the main entrance of the mansion. She was carrying one of the rabbits, cuddling it close in her arms as she rubbed it behind its fluffy ears. For this brunch, she opted to wear something casual yet still elegant; a sea-green sleeveless dress with a plunging neckline. She wore a small diamond necklace and a pair of earrings that match it. Her long, curly blonde hair was coiffured in a stylish high bun with a black headband to keep it in place, taming her usually unruly curls into something rather confined and too formal.  
  
Her attention was caught by the limousine pulling out of the driveway. Before the guests came out, one of the senior staff Eurice walked over to Mɪss Esᴛʜᴇʀ and asked if she would like the soufflé served alongside her lunch. The mistress had always liked to consume the dessert while still feasting on the main course. However, Eurice still asked, just in case.  
  
"Actually, better save the dessert for last, like the common practice."  
  
The smile that appeared in Mɪss Esᴛʜᴇʀ's lips seemed rather stiff, as if forced, "These three don't appreciate sweetness in life as well as I do, and I don't want them thinking badly of my sweet tooth."  
  
Eurice blinked in quiet surprise. This was the first time the lady of the estate expressed ɪɴsᴇᴄᴜʀɪᴛʏ, even acted like she was self-conscious of another's ill opinion of her.  
  
Since he desired to offer any kind of consolation, Eurice remarked, "I doubt anyone would think less of you just by virtue that you are who you are and can't hide it."  
  
His words were kind and well-meant, but Mɪss Esᴛʜᴇʀ's shoulders noticeably cringed a bit, making Eurice frown this time. He wondered if he crossed a line and was about to apologize when he heard her speak.  
  
"They won't understand," the tone she used was almost mournful. "Ƭнєу ∂ση'т яєαℓℓу вєℓιєνє ιη му кιη∂ αη∂ ωнαт ωє σƒƒєя тσ ρєσρℓє ℓιкє уσυ ."  
  
Their gazes briefly meet once she finished uttering that curiously elusive final statement. Eurice had never seen such a defeated expression on her face before, and it frankly made him uncomfortable, if not a little concerned. Who are these new guests? Why is Mɪss Esᴛʜᴇʀ eager to please them to the point that she would dim her light for their sake?  
  
So many questions were running through his mind, and they won't be answered at all, at least not too soon. Eunice merely kept to himself as he watched Mɪss Esᴛʜᴇʀ approach the three guests who had just gotten out of the limousine one by one. Sσмєтнιηg αвσυт тнєм ɗιɗη'т fєєƖ яιgнт. He could sense the trepidation in the mistress' conduct. Her smile and chuckle looked and sounded fake from where he was standing. It was unbearable to witness unfold, this tension-filled interaction with strangers neither he nor the other staff have encountered until today.  
  
Bowing to excuse himself, Eurice took his leave, silently heading back inside the mansion so he can help with the food that was being laid down on the spacious table. Behind him he can hear Mɪss Esᴛʜᴇʀ chat openly with her three guests, her voice carrying melodiously across the large halls. Still, she wasn't herself. Eurice had worked here for a decade, and so he knew the mistress longer than anyone in the household. He can't explain it, but something inside him just wιтнered αwαy the more he could see that whoever these three odd guests were, they seemed to wield a power over Mɪss Esᴛʜᴇʀ that threatened to ∂υℓℓ нєя cσℓσяѕ.  
  
For a moment, Eurice could have sworn he felt a chill in the air. He absentmindedly glanced at a nearby window and spotted the leaves of Mɪss Esᴛʜᴇʀ's most favorite tree outside. What was once all lush green and crisp now looked as if something was plucking these leaves in their prime. Their shade seemed to be turning into a sickly brown altogether.  
  
Eunice looked away. He must be imagining things, that's all, and yet the eerιe нυѕн lingered the more these three guests hovered around the mistress. The impression they left Eurice with was like something that could cut through bone; like ᴀ ᴘɪᴇᴄᴇ ᴏғ ᴀ ᴜɴɪᴠᴇʀsᴇ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴅᴏᴇsɴ·ᴛ ʙᴇʟᴏɴɢ. 

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**[@SUMMERNTHELIGHT](https://twitter.com/summernthelight) **

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